Mondays With Morgan: Jeff Lederer Releases Two New Albums
Mondays With Morgan, a column in LondonJazz News written by Morgan Enos, features an interview with saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, and composer Jeff Lederer. Lederer, based in Hackensack, New Jersey, has recently released two new albums on his label, Little (i) Music.
The Albums
The first album, titled “Schoenberg on the Beach,” is a jazz song cycle inspired by the early vocal works of Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern. Featuring vocalist Mary LaRose, Lederer explores the intervallic material of these composers and creates improvised variations based on their compositions.
The second album, “Balls of Simplicity,” showcases Lederer’s notated chamber works with the Morningside Tone Collective. This album does not include any improvisation and highlights Lederer’s skills as a composer.
A Musical Journey
Lederer discusses his journey as both an improvising musician and a composer of notated music. He draws inspiration from the connection between jazz and classical music, such as Charlie Parker’s appreciation for Edgard Varèse’s compositions. Lederer believes that if Parker had lived longer, he would have explored contemporary composition and collaboration with other composers.
A Unique Synthesis
Lederer’s two new albums showcase his unique synthesis of jazz improvisation and notated composition. While “Schoenberg on the Beach” allows for improvisation based on Schoenberg and Webern’s compositions, “Balls of Simplicity” is purely composed music with no room for improvisation. Lederer believes that both albums represent his own musical style and express his individuality as a composer.
Breaking Genre Boundaries
Lederer discusses his approach to music and his desire to break free from genre classifications. He believes that genre is insignificant in today’s music world and emphasizes the importance of historical and social consciousness in music. Lederer challenges himself by taking music out of its cultural context and recontextualizing it in new and unexpected ways.
The Creative Process
In “Schoenberg on the Beach,” Lederer explains how he selected the material and orchestrated it for the ensemble, allowing for freedom and improvisation within the intervallic structures. In “Balls of Simplicity,” he composed all the music without room for improvisation. Lederer also discusses his decision to play the clarinet and flute on “Schoenberg on the Beach,” as it allowed him to approach the music with a different kind of lyricism and interact with the material in a fresh way.
Conclusion
Jeff Lederer’s two new albums, “Schoenberg on the Beach” and “Balls of Simplicity,” showcase his unique blend of jazz improvisation and notated composition. Lederer’s exploration of the intervallic material of Schoenberg and Webern, as well as his own compositions, highlights his versatility as a musician and composer. By breaking genre boundaries and recontextualizing music, Lederer creates a compelling musical experience that is both innovative and expressive.